(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates a thin film transistor array panel and a manufacturing method thereof.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are one of the most widely used flat panel displays. An LCD includes a pair of panels provided with field-generating electrodes, such as pixel electrodes and a common electrode, and a liquid crystal (LC) layer interposed between the two panels. The LCD displays images by applying voltages to the field-generating electrodes to generate an electric field in the LC layer that determines the orientations of LC molecules therein to adjust polarization of incident light.
This liquid crystal display also includes a color filter for displaying colors by using light transmitted through the liquid crystal layer, and the color filter is generally disposed on a display panel having a common electrode. Since the color filter commonly includes red, green, and blue colors, the color filters are aligned to face the corresponding pixels when the two display panels are combined. However, because the area of the light blocking member defining the openings corresponding to the pixels is sufficiently wide considering a misalignment margin, the size of the openings is decreased such that the aperture ratio of the pixels may be reduced.
To solve the problem, techniques in which the color filters are formed on the display panel having thin film transistors or the color filters are formed through an Inkjet method have been provided. Forming the color filters using an inkjet deposition method is advantageous because photolithographic light exposure is not used, and it simplifies the manufacturing process.
However, because the color filters cover the drain electrodes of the thin film transistors in this conventional art, contact holes for the connection between the pixel electrodes and the drain electrodes are formed through an overcoat layer covering color filters, the color filters, and a passivation layer. Accordingly, there are manufacturing process complications, the etching uniformity of the color filters is deteriorated, and loose particles that are generated when etching the color filters contaminate the processing chamber.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.